According to the latest estimates from market research company NPD, the total number of smartphones shipped is expected to surpass the total number of feature phones shipped.
The units of smartphones that are expected to be shipped this year re 937 million units, whereas only 899 million units for feature phones are expected to be shipped, as smartphone shipments are expected to grow a rate of 26% between 2011 and 2016, with shipment of 1.45 billion units, and account for two-thirds of the mobile phone market.
IDC ,ade a similar prediction earlier this year, but the difference is that IDC expects vendors to ship 918.6 million smartphones this year, or 50.1% of the total mobile phone shipments worldwide.
Since NPD’s estimate has come later, many would believe the new estimate is more accurate, but the bigger picture here is that both the firms agree that smartphones will surpass feature phones this year.